Purchase paves way for Salem roadwork

Tuesday

Nov 30, 2010 at 12:01 AMNov 30, 2010 at 2:45 AM

Though a proposed $4.5 million motor vehicle roundabout at Salem Four Corners won’t open until 2012, town leaders are hailing a recent land purchase by state officials as a sign the project is moving forward.

Adam Benson

Though a proposed $4.5 million motor vehicle roundabout at Salem Four Corners won’t open until 2012, town leaders are hailing a recent land purchase by state officials as a sign the project is moving forward.

Earlier this month, the state Department of Transportation paid $650,000 for the former site of Bad Boyz Toyz at 3 Hartford Road, along with a vacant house on the property. The parcel was owned by a private developer, and the state plans to raze the buildings this spring to accommodate construction.

First Selectman Kevin Lyden said a third structure is expected to be torn down in mid-2011, but its destruction could be delayed as officials work to relocate a water treatment facility in its basement that services the rest of Salem Plaza.

“It’s progress. You know it’s starting to take shape,” Lyden said. “It would be nice for the buildings to come down and have it put in place in three months, but it will be a very nice upgrade for the center of town.”

Improve safety
Planning for the roundabout began in 2008 under former First Selectman Bob Ross. Officials say once complete, it will dramatically reduce the number of collisions and improve traffic flow at the intersection of routes 82 and 85.

“That’s really the main point of this project, is safety. We’ve just seen a tremendous amount of accidents at both those locations,” said Will Britnell, a project manager at DOT.

Jane Scacciaferro, co-owner of Salem Valley Farms, a popular ice cream restaurant about a mile from the Four Corners, said she was intrigued by what effect the new installation could have on traffic flow in the area.

“It’s an amazingly interesting choice on how to solve the problem,” she said. “But I don’t think it’s really going to have
an impact on us.”

In addition to the expected safety and logistical improvements, town leaders say the roundabout will give a major boost to Salem’s commercial sector by providing easier access to businesses along the routes.

“The safety improvement alone will make it easy for people to get in and out of shops, and because it’s safer, more people will be more likely to stop there,” Economic Development Commission Chairman Frank Sroka said. “I think the plan to clear the site and improve the whole appearance of that area is going to be a nice enhancement to that whole part of town.”

Ross agreed.

“What I envision is that this is going to provide a beautiful gateway to Salem,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’ve let that intersection go into disrepair, and it’s become an embarrassment to the people who live here.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.